The Society of Legal Scholars (SLS) is the
learned society
A learned society (; also learned academy, scholarly society, or academic association) is an organization that exists to promote an discipline (academia), academic discipline, profession, or a group of related disciplines such as the arts and s ...
for those who teach law in a
university
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
or similar institution or who are otherwise engaged in legal scholarship. As of the beginning of 2016 the Society had over 3,000 members consisting of academic and practising lawyers in a wide variety of subject areas. It has
charitable
The practice of charity is the voluntary giving of help to those in need, as a humanitarian act, unmotivated by self-interest. There are a number of philosophies about charity, often associated with religion.
Etymology
The word ''charity'' ori ...
status.
The SLS publishes one of the UK's leading generalist peer-reviewed law journals.
The Society was founded in 1908 by
Edward Jenks
Edward Jenks, FBA (1861–1939) was an English jurist, and noted writer on law and its place in history. Born on 20 February 1861 in Lambeth, London, to Robert Jenks, upholsterer, and his wife Frances Sarah, née Jones, he was educated at Dulwic ...
as The Society of Public Teachers of Law and changed its name to the SLS in 2002.
List of presidents
President of The Society of Public Teachers of Law
* 1997–1999:
Margaret Brazier
Margaret Rosetta "Margot" Brazier is a professor at the University of Manchester's School of Law.
Margaret is married to Rodney Brazier, a professor of constitutional law also at the University of Manchester.
Academic work
Brazier researches leg ...
* 2000–2001:
Joe Thomson
Joseph McGeachy Thomson (6 May 1948 – 12 May 2018) was a Scottish lawyer and academic. He was Regius Professor of Law at the University of Glasgow and a member of the Scottish Law Commission.
Early life
Thomson was born in Campbeltown and at ...
President of The Society of Legal Scholars
* 2008–2009:
Sarah Worthington
Dame Sarah Elizabeth Worthington, (''née'' Monks; born 18 February 1955) is a British legal scholar, barrister, and Deputy High Court Judge in the Chancery Division, specialising in company law, commercial law, and equity. From 2011 to 2022, ...
* 2010-2011:
David Feldman
* 2011–2012:
Keith Stanton
* 2015–2016:
Andrew Burrows
Andrew Stephen Burrows, Lord Burrows, (born 17 April 1957[BURROWS, Prof. Andrew ...](_blank)
* 2015–2017:
Imelda Maher
Prizes and awards
The society awards the Peter Birks prize for outstanding legal scholarship, annually. The award is given to outstanding published books by scholars that are within the first 15 years of their academic careers.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Society Of Legal Scholars
Law-related learned societies
Law-related professional associations
International organisations based in the United Kingdom
1908 establishments in the United Kingdom
Organizations established in 1908
International learned societies